Livestock marking bullet



Oct. 10, 1961 w. M. YOUNG 3, 0 4

LIVESTOCK MARKING BULLET Filed March 19, 1959 I INVENTOR. WENDELL M You/vs W A 7' TORNEY L Z M United States Patent Ofi ice Patented Oct. 10, 1961 3,003,418 LIVESTOCK MARKING BULLET Wendell M. Young, Berlin, N. Dak.

Filed Mar. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 800,496 2 Claims. (Cl. 102-38) My invention relates to improvements in animal marking devices and has for its primary object the provision of a novel marking bullet which may be fired from a conventional barrel-equipped firearm.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which may be used to accurately mark livestock from a considerable distance for subsequent identification and/ or segregation.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which may be used on livestock without possibility of fracturing the hide or otherwise injuring same.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which is inexpensive to produce and foolproof in its operation.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective illustrating the method of use of my invention in the marking of livestock;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of my novel marking bullet;

FIG. 3 is a view in front end elevation of my invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view in axial section as seen from the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring with greater particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety my novel marking bullet, including a primary shell 2 formed in part or in whole from metal or other material having a relatively high tensile strength. The primary shell 2 has a cylindrical wall 3, a closed inner end 4 containing a conventional cap 5, and has an open outer end identified by the numeral 6. Contained within the inner end portion of the primary shell 2 is an adequate supply of gun powder 7; whereas a suitable amount of wadding, identified by the numeral 8, is contained within the intermediate portion thereof.

Telescopically received within primary shell 2 and frictionally retained against accidental removal with respect thereto is a secondary shell 9, in the nature of a projectile. The shell 9 likewise has a cylindrical outer wall 10, a circular inner wall 11 which is normally seated snug against the wadding 8, and a forwardly projecting outer end portion identified in its entirety by the numeral 12. Preferably, the projectile-forming secondary shell 9 is formed from flexible plastic material, such as polyethylene, and has its projected forward end 12 formed to define a forwardly opening V-shaped notch 13 which extends transversely therethrough, the bottom 14 thereof inter secting the longitudinal axis of the shells 2, 9.

p The secondary shell 9 is normally fluid tight and contains therewithin a suitable liquid die, such as red paint or the like, indicated by the numeral 15. To facilitate release of the die 15 upon impact of the shell 9 against the hide of a cow or the like A brought within the sights of a conventional barrel-equipped firearm B in which my novel marking bullet 1 has been placed, and from which the projectile-forming shell 9 has been discharged, the material from which the shell 9 is formed is greatly weakened at the bottom 14 of the notch 13. To further facilitate spreading action of the opposite side portions 16 defined by the V-shaped notch 13 so as to release the die fluid 15 at the point of severance 14, without causing penetration of the hide of the animal A, the leading edges of the portion 16 are blunted as at 17.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while I have shown a preferred em bodiment thereof, I wish it to be understood that same may be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a cylindrical primary shell having a closed rear end and an open front end and formed from a material having a relatively high tensile strength, a primer cap in the closed rear end of said primary shell, gunpowder in the closed rear end portion of said primary shell adjacent said cap, wadding in the intermediate portion of said primary shell, and a cylindrical secondary shell formed from flexible plastic material and telescopically received within the open front end of said primary shell and frictionally retained therein with its rear end seated against said wadding and its front end projecting axially outwardly therefrom, said secondary shell being filled with liquid dye and having its projected front end formed to provide a forwardly opening V-shaped notch which extends diametrically thereacross, the bottom of said notch intersecting the axis of said primary and secondary shells and forwardly with respect to the front end of said primary shell.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, in which the leading edges defined by the V-shaped notch are blunted to discourage penetration and to facilitate severance of said secondary shell along the bottom of said notch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

